Permian Strategic Partnership, Permian Road Safety Coalition Partner to Provide Over $3 Million for Critical Equipment for First Responders in New Mexico, Texas

In an effort to reduce vehicle crash fatalities and injuries across the Permian Basin, the Permian Strategic Partnership (PSP) and the Permian Road Safety Coalition (PRSC) have partnered to develop a second round of the First Responder Life-Saving Equipment Initiative. The PSP will be giving $3.17 million to fund life-saving equipment to first responders in 26 counties across West Texas and Southeast New Mexico. This partnership builds upon the first round of this initiative which was previously funded by the PSP in 2021 with a $1.1 million donation.

The PSP is honored to continue supporting our first responder and law enforcement partners across the entire region through a new round of funding for this initiative, said Tracee Bentley, President and CEO of the Permian Strategic Partnership. Importantly, this second phase nearly triples the amount of our prior support and will expand our reach across the Permian Basin while strategically placing equipment and tools where they are most needed.”

The PRSC is very proud to continue this worthy and valuable initiative with the PSP,  said Ellen K. Ramsey, Executive Director of the Permian Road Safety Coalition. Law enforcement, firefighters, and emergency services workers  all first-on-scene responders continue to greatly need assistance purchasing the tools necessary to save lives in urban, rural, and remote areas of the Permian Basin. Together, we will close these gaps and make our roadways safer.

Specific life-saving equipment needs have been directly identified through close collaboration with Permian Basin first responders. The PSP funding will provide a base-level equipment kit for at least 80 first responder departments with customized equipment and gear to accommodate unique needs that vary across the Permian Basin. This equipment will include components such as medical supply kits, fire extinguishers, wildfire and structure fire protective clothing, gas monitors, mobile lighting tools, and rescue helicopter landing zone kits.

First responding agencies, many of whom are staffed by volunteers, have limited infrastructure and resources that were designed only to respond to local jurisdictions with small populations (less than 10,000). Currently, it is not unusual to see responders travel over an hour by road to respond to calls for assistance. This life-saving equipment will give first responders a chance to aid victims and prevent fatalities in otherwise survivable crashes while waiting for additional help to arrive on the scene.

First responder agencies receiving this equipment are located in the Texas counties of Andrews, Borden, Brewster, Crane, Culberson, Dawson, Ector, Gaines, Glasscock, Howard, Jeff Davis, Loving, Martin, Midland, Pecos, Presidio, Reagan, Reeves, Terrell, Upton, Ward, Winkler, and Yoakum; and the New Mexico counties of Eddy, Lea and Chaves. Equipment will be distributed throughout 2022 and 2023.